Abstract
This study was designed to characterize the location, morphology and ultrastructure of telocytes (TCs) in human scalp tissue. After obtaining approval for this study and informed consent from the patient, a scalp specimen was obtained. The distribution and morphology of TCs in human scalp tissue was assessed by immunohistochemical staining of CD34 and CD117/c-KIT, and the ultrastructure of TCs was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immunohistochemical staining of CD34 revealed that TCs were located in the connective tissue of human scalp, and were concentrated around hair follicles (HFs), blood vessels, sweat glands, sebaceous glands and adipose lobules. Immunohistochemical staining of CD117 revealed that TCs were mainly located in the dermis of human scalp, surrounding the HFs and sweat glands. Under TEM, TCs were seen and confirmed by their special morphological features. These cells were spindle-shaped, had small cell bodies and long thin processes, and surrounded stem cell clusters in the bulge region of HFs. These results demonstrate that TCs in human scalp were positive for CD34 and CD117, and their strategic positioning surrounding stem cells suggests their possible involvement in local regeneration, remodeling and homeostasis of the skin.
Highlights
This study was designed to characterize the location, morphology and ultrastructure of telocytes (TCs) in human scalp tissue
Cells were predominantly distributed in the reticular dermis and subcutaneous tissue of normal scalp, a few were spotted in the papillary dermis (Fig. 1a,b)
CD34+ cells were frequently observed in the perivascular connective tissue, accompanying small and intermediate blood vessels, and possessed characteristic cellular processes that extended parallel to the adjacent epidermis (Fig. 1b,c)
Summary
This study was designed to characterize the location, morphology and ultrastructure of telocytes (TCs) in human scalp tissue. The distribution and morphology of TCs in human scalp tissue was assessed by immunohistochemical staining of CD34 and CD117/c-KIT, and the ultrastructure of TCs was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TCs exist in various organs and tissues and are characterized by small cell bodies and one to five extremely long (ten to one hundred μm) and thin (less than 0.2 μm) processes called telopodes (Tps)[1]. There have been many studies about the existence, distribution, morphology, ultrastructure and the potential roles of TCs in different organs of the human body and in some animals in healthy and in diseased states. This study was designed to investigate the existence, distribution, morphological characteristics and ultrastructure of TCs in the human scalp, using immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
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